The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-07-08

AutobiographicAl "Reminiscences.

The poet Whittier says OF himself;
~ was unlike any OF the rest, |
think, for never had any methods.
When felt like it wrote, and mel
ther had the health nor the patience
to work over it afterwards. IL usual
w went as it was originally completed.
Emerson wrote with great care, and
would not only revise his manuscript
carefully, but have often heard him
say that he would frequently rewritc
the article upon the proof-sheets.
Longfellow, too, was ~ very careful
writer. He wrote and rewrote, and
would lay his work by and then revise
it. He often would consult with his
friends about his productions before
they were given TO the world. He
therefore sent his work out as perfect
as great care and brilliant intellect
could make it. Iwasnot 80 fortunate.
| have lived mostly a secluded life,
with little patience to draw upon, and
only n few friends for associates.
What writing have done has been Tor
the love OF it. have ever been timid
OF what have penned. 1t is really q
marvel to me that Ihaveg gathered any
literary reputation from my produc
tons.
"Much that ! have written i wish
was as deep in the Red Sea as
Pharaoh's chariot wheels. Much OF
the bread cast on the waters ! wish
had never been returned. 1t is not
fair to revive writings composed in the
shadow OF conditions that make even
acceptable work impossible. In my
early life | was not favored with good
opportunities. Limited chances OF ed
ucation and u lack Of books always
stood in my way. When | began to
write had seen nothing and virtually
knew nothing OF the world OF course,
things written then could not have been
worth much.
"In my fathers house there was not
n dozen books, and they were OF &C.
we're type. The only one that APP
preached poetry was rhymed his
tory OF David, written by contcm-
porary OF George Fox, the Quaker.
There was one poornovelin the family.
1t belonged to an aunt. This i secured
one day when | had read it half
through / was discovered, and it was
taken from me.
Ny first glimpse OF poetry was when
my old schoolmaster brought a copy
OF Burns poems and read from it at
| our house. NY first real work was
done when George ID. Prentice was
editing the Hartford Review, although
had written considerably before. /
wrote and sent him q few things, and
he encouraged me. When he recon-
mended me to take his place the
publishers wrote me and Invent down.
had then seen practically nothing OF
the world. and for the two years ! re-
manned with the Review my greatest
effort was to keep people from know
ing how little really knew
az wrote continually, but there was
no market for the work. My anti
slavery convictions made my name
valueess to any ofthemagazincs; but,
strange as it may appear, the Demo-
cratic Review was always anxious Tor
my writings"
twas there no market at all? No
price set upon your work.
"None. | Just wrote for any paper
that would publish my matter, and ii
Longfellow, Emerson, Hawthorne or
myself had been forced to rely upon
the products OF our pens for our hv-
ing, we would have wanted bread in
those days when most OF our best work
was done. no me this is q queer
phase OF literary life, to find that the
greatest gentises that America has ev-
or given to literature should have
toiled without recompense, and been
forced to wait until they were old be-
fore reaping the fruits OF their labor.
Truly, it is hard work for . writer to
Get a foothold."